If you’re planning Christmas at home you likely have a long and
healthy “to do” list when it comes to getting your beloved home ready for the
big day. You’ll have wrestled with the Christmas tree and decorated it with
multicolored baubles. You’ll have decked the halls not only with boughs of
holly but with tinsel and LED fairy lights. Christmas cards not only adorn your
mantel but every spare inch of shelf space. The fire will be full of logs
because nothing says festive like a real log fire, and the door will be
bedecked with an inviting and ornate wreath. When all that’s done, your home
will be 100% Christmas ready, right?
Well, sorry but… no.
As tempting as it may be to focus solely on the festive
accouterments of the season, to do so is to overlook an unpleasant but
pertinent fact… Your home may well ruin your Christmas! If you don’t guard
against these common seasonal household mishaps today, your home could
compromise your Christmas day in ways that no amount of glitter and tinsel can
compensate for…
Leaking roof
Snowfall may look romantic on greetings cards, but when it
collects on your roof overnight and thaws in the morning sun it can conspire to
exacerbate the roof leak that’s been building up all year. If you see any signs of roof leakage like brown
rings on your ceiling, it’s time to call in a roofing specialist before the leak
ruins your big day. The last thing you need is for your Christmas
dinner to be
diluted by leaking water from the roof.
Lax household security
Picture the scene. You go away for a couple of days to visit
family over the holidays only to find upon returning that the door has been a
colorful collection of presents under your tree is gone. It’s a horrible
thought, but it’s a harsh reality for people who don’t consider their home
security at this time of year. Make sure that:
- You
keep your tree and presents hidden when you go away.
- Ask
a neighbor to check in on your house now and then.
- Don’t
leave a spare key in a “safe” place like under the doormat.
- Be careful what you throw in your garbage. Gift wrap cutoffs, receipts, and bank statements can all be open invitations to burglars.
Burst water pipes
Extreme cold causes water to freeze in pipes which can lead to
burst pipes which can create huge problems which we could all do without facing
on Christmas day. Make sure that all external water pipes are winterized and insulated to avoid
this potential catastrophe.
Insulation
Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so
delightful… So long as you have adequate insulation. As winter draws near you
may find that heat from the fireplace, radiators or electric heaters just seems
to float away leaving you shivering... yet still with an enormous heating bill.
Check your attic insulation for signs of rodent infestation (such as droppings,
bite marks or rodent shaped burrows) as well as for signs of water leakage to
make sure that your home stays warm and cozy over Christmas.
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